The Story Behind the Story: Harvest of Blessings

I became acquainted with June Foster a few years ago when I was starting out. We were in the same critique group at the time, and June was the most patient person ever mentoring me in showing versus telling. I love June’s books and her heart to use romance as she writes about tough issues. I asked June to share today, and I’m so glad she agreed. Please enjoy her post about “the story behind the story.”—Julie Arduini

The Story Behind the Story

A Harvest of Blessing was inspired by a real life couple my husband and I met in Pensacola, Florida. Several years ago we were traveling and living in our RV full time. Since my husband is retired army, we generally stayed on military posts in their RV parks. This year we stayed at Pensacola Naval Air Station and attended the military chapel.

One Sunday we got to talking to a great couple and wound up going to lunch with them after church. Their story amazed me. They were both visiting the graves of their dead spouses when they met. They even pointed out the graveyard as we passed on the way to lunch.

Cupid went to work, and they eventually married. Their story has been on my mind for several years, and I finally got the chance to tell it in A Harvest of Blessing where my hero and heroine who’re in their mid fifties meet in a graveyard. But that’s where the similarity ends. I deviated from the real couple and made Nadia’s husband a jerk and Jared’s daughter an obstacle between the two of them.

In the story, Nadia’s son David is serving a tour of duty in Germany. I put him in Germany because my husband and I were there before he retired from the army. Wood carvings abound in the European country, and I thought it would be fun to have David bring one of the lovely pieces—like the one I own—back home for his mom. The real wood carving used to hang on my mom’s wall. Today it sits on a cabinet in my dining room.

The carving is special to me as it is the artist’s rendition of a loaf of bread and a chalice, an important element in Christianity—communion or the Lord’s Supper.

I loved writing A Harvest of Blessing as this is the first book I’ve penned where the characters are middle aged. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Seasons of Blessings

After the death of her husband, Nadia Maguire never expects to meet handsome Jared Abrams in the cemetery where she visits her dead spouse’s grave. Though she falls for the handsome bank president, his daughter hurls a wedge between them. Will her life be a harvest of blessings or a season of drought?

When bank president Jared Abrams falls in love with one of his tellers, Jared’s daughter does everything in her power to keep them apart. Will he reap a harvest of blessings or a season of drought?

The Story Behind the Story with June Foster

June Foster is an award-winning author who began her writing career in an RV roaming around the USA with her husband, Joe. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her contemporary romances. June’s characters find themselves in precarious circumstances where only God can offer redemption and ultimately freedom. Find June at junefoster.com.

Julie Arduini loves to encourage readers to surrender the good, the bad, and ---maybe one day---the chocolate. She’s the author of ENTRUSTED: Surrendering the Present, as well as ENTANGLED: Surrendering the Past. The last book in the series, ENGAGED: Surrendering the Future, is coming soon. She also shares her story in the infertility devotional, A WALK IN THE VALLEY. She also blogs every other Wednesday for Christians Read. She resides in Ohio with her husband, two children, and chocolate stash. Learn more by visiting her at http://juliearduini.com.

Welcome to the community at Inspy Romance! The authors are so happy to see you. We offer two random commenters a $20 Amazon gift card every month, so don’t be shy! Jump in, and let’s get to know each other.

Thanks to the Inspy and Julie for allowing me to share with your readers. I have fond memories of the days when Julie and are were critique partners. We worked hard on our craft. What an adventure!
I am heading out to Columbus, Georgia, today to attend a military function with my husband. I should be back on my computer by tomorrow night so please don’t think I’ve disappeared into cyber land. I hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Thank you, Julie. The same with you. I love your wonderful stories. I’ve enjoyed reading them since the first one when we were critique partners.

We had such a good weekend in Columbus, Georgia, at the Georgia State Hall of Fame ceremony where one of Joe’s friends from Vietnam was inducted into the hall of fame. He never returned from Vietnam and earned the Congregational Metal of Honor a few years after he was killed. His brother and sister were there to represent him.

Melissa,
I feel the same way. June always draws us in with multi-layered characters. I love how she uses romance to tackle the tough issues that exist in our fallen world. She was the perfect person to mentor me. I’m forever grateful for that.

Also, thank you so much for the sweet card, Melissa! I appreciate you very much!

Thanks for your kind words, Melissa. I didn’t think I could check in today as we are on the road then I remembered my cell phone. 😊 It’s a little bouncy but I’m here! Melissa wrote an endorsement for this book. I so appreciate you.

I read your article about June Foster
but this is what I saw when I read it.
Instead of “I became acquainted with June Foster”
I saw “I became acquitted with June Foster”.
So that is how you two met each other?
Seriously, I want to thank you for a very interesting article and thank you for entering me in your giveaway.

Hi Janet, so glad to see you on Julie’s website. I also got a big laugh. Julie and I weren’t in prison together though sitting at this computer on occasion seems like it. (Just kidding.) Hope you’re doing well.

I love June. She’s been on my personal blog several times and I got the pleasure of meeting her in person a few years ago at a writers’ conference. She and her wonderful husband drove me and my roommate to our hotel. Even though we couldn’t find it. They were troopers as we directed them down several wrong turns because everything looks different at night.

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